


a coward that you and i both hate very much

by Anonymous



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Child Abuse, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28371327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: "I'll-I'll take it, sir," he says impulsively. "Whatever punishment you plan for her, I'll take it instead." Azula looks pathetically grateful at his offer and it makes him feel strong. This is, at least, something he can do better than his sister.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 74
Collections: Anonymous





	a coward that you and i both hate very much

**Author's Note:**

> warning for child abuse obviously  
> found this in my drafts folder from a while ago, idk why i never posted it  
> title from bad bad things by ajj

Azula doesn't make mistakes. Not like Zuko, whose very existence is a mistake. So it's more than a little jarring when her feet fly out from under her while demonstrating a simple kata for their father.

Father scoffs at her. "Pathetic," he growls. "This is the kind of performance I'd expect from  _ Zuko,  _ not you."

Azula bows hurriedly, and Zuko can see her hands shaking. "I'm sorry, Father, I don't know what happened!" Her voice is trembling, a reminder that she's never truly faced Father's wrath before, not like Zuko has, every day since he was born. 

"I'll-I'll take it, sir," he says impulsively. "Whatever punishment you plan for her, I'll take it instead." Azula looks pathetically grateful at his offer and it makes him feel strong. This is, at least, something he can do better than his sister.

Ozai turns to him with a single arched eyebrow. "You would take a punishment for your sister who has nothing but hatred for you?" 

"Y-yes, sir."  _ She doesn't deserve this, but I do,  _ is what he thinks but doesn't say.

"Very well. Azula, leave us." She all but runs from the room.

Father turns his full attention to Zuko and looks him up and down with a displeased look on his face. "Down," he commands, like Zuko is a misbehaving animal, but Zuko still complies, and kneels before his father. 

Ozai circles him like a tiger-shark with a similarly bloodthirsty look in his eyes. This continues for several long and uncomfortable moments before he snaps his knee forward and hits Zuko in the nose.

He makes a muffled grunt of pain and an aborted motion to grab at his face, but he quickly rights himself.  _ Never show weakness  _ repeats like a mantra in his head. 

Father makes another two full circles around him before the next blow comes, a sharp kick to the ribs that makes him want to curl up like a bug and hide. He supposes he should be grateful, in a way, that Ozai isn't attacking him at full strength - he could've easily shattered his ribs if he so desired.

Before he even has time to brace himself again, Father kicks a booted foot into Zuko's stomach so hard it knocks the wind out of him and makes tears well up in his eyes. He has to take a minute ( _ too long, too weak _ ) just to remember how to breathe again. Then he sits there, aching so bad with every inhale, staring resolutely at the floor, and trying to interpret his father's silence.

Suddenly there's a hand in his hair tugging him upwards, and he struggles to his feet. They stand face to face, and Ozai moves his hand to circle Zuko's neck.  _ Oh Agni please don't kill me _ flashes through Zuko's mind, and he briefly considers begging, but Father makes no move to tighten his grip. He scrutinizes Zuko's face, using a single finger to tilt Zuko's jaw this way and that, studying.

Then he holds his other hand right in front of Zuko's eyes, and sets his fingers alight. The sudden heat startles Zuko and he flinches backward under Ozai's grip. He watches the flame with wide, apprehensive eyes, and tries to hide how he's shaking like a leaf in the wind. Once again Ozai just  _ watches _ , and Zuko feels like he's being tested. He doesn't want to know what would happen if he were to fail. 

Finally, finally, Father releases him, and Zuko can breathe again (even though his grip wasn't that tight). He's dismissed with a nod, and he limps off to his quarters as fast as he can without jostling his ribs.

The servants pointedly ignore Zuko. They've long since learned not to notice the Fire Lord's  _ disciplinary methods  _ in public. 

Azula, on the other hand, has no such restrictions. They pass each other, and her face goes white, looking at him with an expression that Zuko doesn't understand. It looks like pity, but Azula doesn't feel pity. Then her mask is back, a careful smirk adorning her face as she walks past him. Her head is held high, but her shoulders are tense, and her hands are clenched by her sides.


End file.
